Chersky Institute of Mining of the North, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Yakutsk, Russia:
T. V. Moskalenko, Senior Researcher, Candidate of Engineering Sciences, labkiy@mail.ru
V. A. Mikheev, Head of a Laboratory, Candidate of Engineering Sciences
E. V. Vorsina, Senior Researcher, Candidate of Engineering Sciences

The article presents the lignite stock analysis for the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) as the basic lignite supply base in Russia’s Far East, and lignite prospects for coal chemistry and deeper conversion. Lignite generally occurs in Lena Basin and is extracted since the 1930s for the purposes of power supply and municipal-domestic service in the central and northern regions of the Republic. The grade composition of Lena Basin lignite, governing economic application, is diverse; from the viewpoint of the rational and efficient use, lignite is a natural source of fuel and organic material for the integrated differentpurpose processing. One of the ways of deep conversion of coal for non-fuel purposes is production of humic substances. Containing up to 60 % of humic compounds, peat and lignite are the invaluable sources of this type of substance. In view of the fact that “man-made” humic substances produced from solid mineral fuels by processing have no difference from the natural substances supporting soil fertility, the use of humic compounds made by conversion of lignite in reclamation of agricultural lands will make it possible to abate degradation of lands in farm, to expand the area of plough lands and to create favorable conditions for efficient land use. The article describes the technology of production of humic compounds without inert substances, the extraction flowsheets and the data on processing of lignite from a few deposits in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). The lignite processing technology developed at the Institute of Mining of the North, SB RAS allows higher yield of humic substances as compared with the standard output (by State Standard GOST 9517-94) and enhances the coal conversion process, which is illustrated in terms of lignite from Kangalass, Kirov and Khapchagay deposits. The tests data on application of humic substances produced from lignite from the listed deposits to different crop plants both in laboratory and afi eld prove their high biological activity.

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